Circuit-controller.



H. H. CUTLER & F. s. WILHOIT.

I CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-Z2, 1914.

1,170,738 Patented Febf8, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

H. H. CUTLER 3. F. s. WILHOIT. CIRCUIT CONIROLLER. APPLICATION man mm, mm.

Patented Feb. 8, 1916.

9 9 2 SHEETSSHEET 2- a .z, y

3o J I I 23 v as (H V 11 Q 39 1s 14 19 v v UNITED s'rA'rEsrA-TENT OFFICE.

HENBY.H. .CUTLEB AND S. WIIIHOIT, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN. v

c nema-commune.

, 1,170,738. Original application .llcd November 80,

ing application filed Nov. 30, 1908, Serial' No."465,165, of Which this application is a division.

Various objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter in connection with the description of the accompanying drawing wherein,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a variable speed transmission device as shown in our earlier application above mentioned; and Fig. 2 is a schematic view of a controller therefor with the circuits employed.

The device shown in Fig. 1 comprises a pair of shafts 1 and 2 having loose thereon two pairs of meshing gears 3-4 and 5-6 adapted to coact in various relations under the influence of a pair of double magnetic clutches A and B mounted on the shafts 1 and 2. Each of these clutches consists of two spaced armature members 7 and 8, respectively locked to the gears 35 and 4-6 and an intermediate field member 9 having a peripheral gear 10 in mesh with that of the other. Clutch A is provided with two in dependent field windings 11 and 12 and clutch B with similar windings 13 and 14 (not shown). The member 9 is preferably constructed in accordance with U. S. Patent No. 786,411 granted April 5, 1905 to H. H. Cutler which discloses a magnetic-clutch enabling a driven member under maximum load to be accelerated from rest up to synchronism with a driving member operating at maximum speed without strain or jar on the driven mechanism. Briefly stated this result is obtained by entirely surrounding the magnet windings with iron so that the strength of the field will increase slowly when the clutch is energized due to the large Specification of Setters Retent.

Patented Feb. 8, 1916.

1900, Serial No. macs. lumen and an; application filed Augult 22,1914. Serial no. asaovs.

amount of inductance. The gear3is provlded with, or attached to, a quill or hub 15 hav ng a pulley 16 keyed thereto on the opposite side of a suitable bearing 17. This pulley is arranged to be driven by a belt 18 from the shaft of a driving motor 19. The gear 5 is likewise provided with a hub 20 encircling the shaft 1 and having keyed thereto a gear 21 for connection to the driven mechanism. In operation, gears 3 and 5 constitute the drivi and driven gears, respectively. In a similar manner gears 4 and 6 are also provided with hubs (not, shown) loosely journaled'in bearings 22 and loosely encircling the shaft 2. The ratio of the four transmission gears 3, 4, 5, and 6 is such that four basic variations in the driven speed may be secured b connections thereof in different combinations through the clutches A and B. To wit, slow speed is effected by a drive through gears 3, 4 across clutch B and through gears 6, 5; second speed through gears 3, 4, field members 9, to gear 5; third speed through gear 3, field members 9 through gears 6, 5; and high speed by directly connecting gears 3 and 5 across field member 9 of clutch A.

The above description of the transmission device has been made brief since our improved controlling device is adapted for use with various forms of transmission gearing.

Referring to Sheet 2 of the drawings, our controller is shown schematically with the circuit connections for the driving motor and the electro-responsive devices for the transmission gears. As represented, a control lever 23 is pivoted to rotateabout a hub 24 to successively establish the different gear connections and during each connection accelerate the motor from normal to maximum speed. Thus, while the variable speed gearing enables four distinct fundaspeeds so that the step from one to the next is gradual and the acceleration of the driven mechanism from rest to maximum is accomplished smoothly. and evenly. As shown, the control lever 23 carries a brush 2-5 adapted to engage contact buttons 26 to complete the armature circuit of the motor 19, accelerate the latter by removing resistance 27 prior to energization of the mag:

netic clutches and thereafter maintain the armature circuit closed through engagement with a contact ring 28. The armature circuit mentioned is established-from line 29 through a manual switch 30 by conductor field circuit of the motor the lever 23 carries a brush connected by conductor 36 to brush 25 and ada ted to engage a contact ring 37 connecte by conductor 38 to the motor field 39 and thence to the opposite line 34. The field windings 11, 12, 13, and 14 of the magnetic clutches A and B are arranged to be energized'in a sequence to establish the progressive speeds of th driven mechanism as the control lever 23 is rotated. In the arrangement shown, only two of the windings are simultaneously energized and these are connected'in series by means of contact segments bridged by brushes 40 carried bythe control lever 23, as will appear/ Assuming the control lever to be in ofi position and moved so that the armature circuit ofthe motor is completed with the inclusion of resistance 27, brushes 40,rest upon dead segments 41, while brush ,35. engages contact 37 and completes the motorfield circuit. Clockwise rotation ofthe lever then gradually removes the starting'res'ista'nce 27 and thus brings the motor to normal speed at the time brush 25 engages contact ring 28.

maybe traced from the line 29, along conductor 44 and through'a hand switch 45 to the Winding 13 of clutch B, by conductor 46 to segment 42, across the brushes 40 to segment 43, by conductor 47 through the winding 14 of clutch B by conductor 48 back to line 34. The low speed drive of the'gear 21 is thus established with the motor running at normal speed. Continued rotation of the control lever maintains the gear. connection described and increases the speed of the motor to maximum by inserting portions of a resistance 49 into the field circuit of the motor. Such acceleration continues until rotation of the lever carries the brush 35 from the last contact button of resistance 49 to adjacent segment 37 thereby short-circuiting the resistance 49 and reducing the speed of the motor to normal. During this transition one of the brushes 40 leaves con- 7 tact segment 42 and interrupts circuit of the magnet field windings 13 and 14 so that thedriven gear 5 is temporarily totally disconnected from the source of power supply.

This interruption is only momentary. and

the next gear connection is' established by energization of the windings 11 and-. 14 as [.tl1e control lever moves to bridge contact segments 50 and 43 by brushes 40, current passing from winding 11 t0.segment 50 and thence as described. gear connection ment 42 to. 50.

A moment later,- brushes 40 engageand bridge a pair of contact segments 42 and 43, whereupon circuit 1 as mentioned, is efiected whilethemotor is operating at normal speed and, is maintained while the motor is accelerated to maximum by the gradualinsert on of the resistance 49*. The motor is a second time reduced to normal speed and the drive of the driven member simultaneously interrupted prior to the establishment of the next gear .connection which occurs after the brush 35 has passed to contact segment37 andbrushes' 40 have passed to contact segment 42 and 43. The magnet circuits are thereupon completed through winding 13 by conductor 46 to contact segment 42 across brushes 40 to segment 43 and by conductor 51 to winding 12 and back to the opposite line. The third speed connection of the driven mechanism is thus established and is maintained while the motor is accelerated by the gradual insertion of resistance 49 in the motor field. When the lever is moved to short circuit resistance 49 the driving connections are again momentarily interrupted as one of the brushes 40 passes from contact seg- Thegears' are then connected in their fourth combination by energization of windings 11 and 12, that is, the driving and driven gears are directly connected to establish high speed of the driven mechanism. ,The speed of the 'motor is 9;,

again accelerated to maximum'as the brush 35 tor field. It will thus be seen'that the mo tor 19, variable ,in speed Within relatively" narrow limits, and the transmission gearing adually inserts resistance 49 in the mo adapted to establish four basic speeds, are associated by the controller so that the 1 driven member is gradually and evenly accelerated from rest through the successive basic speeds to its maximum rate. It will be apparent also that the rotation of the control lever 23 in the opposite direction de- 'celerates the driven mechanism by establishing the gear connections in the same combinations but in a reverse sequence to that already described.

In order that the lever 23 may not permanently stop with one of the brushes 40 between any of the contact segments of the magnet windings, in which position thedriving connection between the power supply and the driven mechanism is totally'interrupted and which condition if continued would allow the driven mechanism to come to rest, we provide the control lever with a roller 52 biased outwardly by a coil spring to strike complementary stationary rollers 53 arranged approximately at quadrants about the 'hub'24' but alined with the interruptions between the contact segments for the magnet windings. By this means, as the control lever isrotated the roller 52- engages a stationary roller 53 justprior to a change in the gear connections and the energy stored in the coil spring by further movement of the It is to be noted that the provision of hand switch 45 in the circuit of the magnetic clutches enables all driving connection to be interrupted independently of'the motor and of'the control lever 23. In the case of large machinery, several of the switches 45 may be located at various points conveniently accessible to. the operators so that, in the event of an accident, the driven mechanism may be immediately stopped without recourse to the control rheostat.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is .l. The combination with a variable speed gearing, of a plurality of magnetic clutches each having a driving. member and two driven members, one of said driven members being engageable with either said drivingv member or the other driven member, the corresponding members of said clutches being connected and means to gradually accelerate the speed of said driven members when con nected to the drivingmember.

2. The combination with a plurality of magnetic clutches, of a controller therefor having an element movable to efl'ect energization and deenergization of said clutches separately and means insuring against stoppage of said element at an intermediate point to denergize all of said clutches. v

3. The combination with a plurality of magnetic clutches, of a controller therefor having an element movable over a series of contacts and means to prevent said element from stopping at a point between said contacts.

4. The combination with a motor, of a plurality of magnetic clutches, a rheostat having a movable element adapted to be moved over a series of contacts for controlling said motor and said clutches and means insuring against the stoppage of said element at an intermediate point between said contacts.

5. The combination with a supply circuit, of a motor arranged in said circuit, an arma ture resistance and a field resistance for said motor, a plurality of magnetic clutches arranged in said circuit, and means for controlling said motor and said clutches, said means having amovable element operable to remove said armature resistance from circuit before said clutches are energized and to insert said field resistance in circuit only after one of said clutches is energized.

6. The combination with a supply circuit, of a'motor connected in said circuit, an armature resistance and a field resistance for said motor, a plurality of magnetic clutches arranged in said circuit, a movable element for controlling said motor and said clutches, said movable element being operable to energize said clutches only after the starting of said motor and the removal of said armature re-,

sistance from circuit and being operable to insert sald field resistance in circuit only 'after the energization of one of said clutches.

I 7. The combination with a source of power, a member to be driven, and variable speed gearing interposed therebetween including a driving gear, a driven gear and a plurality of free gears, power means to effect the direct connection of said driving and driven gears to establish one driving connection for said member and to effect the indirect vconnection of said driven gears through one or more of said free gears to establish other driving connections for said member, of means for controlling said power means, said last-mentioned means being operable to effect a change in the gear connections of saidgearing only after a temporary total interruption of drive from said source of power to said member.

8. The combination with a source of 7 power, a member to be driven, and variable speed gearing interposed therebetween including a driving gear, a driven gear axially alined therewith and a plurality of free gears offset with respect thereto, of power means to effect driving connections between said driving and driven gears directly and between the same in different combinations with said free gears for establishing different basic speeds of said member, and manually operated means for controlling said power means but operable to effect a change in the driving connections of said gears only after a complete interruption of the drive of said member from said source of power.

9. The combination with a power supply, a member to be driven, and variable speed gearing interposed therebetween including a driving gear a driven gear axially alined therewith and a. plurality of free gears offset with respect thereto, of power means to effectdriving connections between said driving and driven gears directly and between the same in different combinations with said free gears for establishing different-basic speeds of said member, manually operated means for controlling said power means but operable to effect a change in the driving connections of said gears only after a complete cessation of power transmission from said supply to said member and means independent of said manually operated means for effecting cessation of power transmission from said supply to said member without affecting said supply.

10. The combination with axially alined driving and driven shafts, a fixed gear on each thereof, a counter shaft with a plurality of gears thereon, of electro-responsive devices for effecting driving connections of said fixed gears through one or more of said gears on said counter shaft to establish different minor speeds of said driven shaft and to effect direct driving connection of said &

fixed gears to establish a major speed of said driven shaft, and manually operated means for controlling said devices but operable to effect a change in the driving connection of c 5 said gears only after the temporary =inter- 7 ruption of drive of said driven shaft through the preceding gear connection.

11. The combination with a driving shaft,

a fixed gear thereon, an alined'driven shaft,

10 a fixed gear. thereon,a counter shaft; a plurality of gears thereon, of electr.o-responsive devices for effecting drlvmg connectlons of said fixed gears indifferent operative com binations to establish d ifl'erent basic speeds .15 of said driven shaft, and means for controlneetion of said. gears 'in onecombina 1cm prior to the driv ng connectlon thereof-m another combinatlon. i

ling said devices and insuring the In witness whereof, we have hereunto sub- .20

scribed our names in the presence of two ELIZABETH EBERLY; Y L. A. WATSON. 

